Coffee
Coffee is commercially produced in more than 50 countries, and the world drinks upwards of 3 three billion cups a day. The annual income of the coffee sector is estimated to exceed $200 billion. While the number of coffee drinkers continues to rise and producers work hard to keep up with demand, the coffee industry is faced with unprecedented challenges.
ITC is directing its extensive experience in the coffee sector towards making it a fairer, more sustainable and profitable environment for all of its stakeholders. Using our Alliances for Action sustainable agribusiness approach, we support actors from seed to cup through a holistic strategy that aims to transform the value chain as a whole.
We foster sustainable production and processing methods, engage and empower women and youth at all value chain levels, enable market access and promote South-South trade with a focus on regional and domestic markets, as well as international markets, for increased resilience and growth.
We currently support the coffee sectors in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Cameroun, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Liberia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Laos and Myanmar, helping them meet the global priority of more ethical and inclusive systems of trade.
At farm level, we:
- Promote sustainable production methods
- Focus on increasing productivity and quality
- Engage and empower women and youth
- Help establish and manage nurseries
- Support with agro-ecological requirements and production and systems
- Help establish farms and effective field management practices
- Help rehabilitate and renovate old coffee trees
- Support and train on soil fertility management
- Support and train on pest and disease management
- Support and train on harvest and post-harvest handling practices
At processing level, we:
- Offer coffee primary and secondary level processing management
- Promote coffee value addition and quality control
- Train on sample analysis
- Train on business management in terms of budgeting, P&L and cashflow analysis
- Offer sensory and tasting trainings (SCA and CQI)
- Build capacities on certification/private voluntary standard internal management system training and coaching
At trade level, we:
- Promote market connections with buyers in Europe, USA, and Africa
- Train on export market requirements
- Train on trade fair preparations (physical and virtual)
- Train on contract management and logistics
- Train on trading and pricing management
- Build trade participation
- Support on e-commerce
- Foster direct buyer linkages
- Train and coach on marketing and branding
To support micro, small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) at a global level, we:
- Organize study tours
- Organize inward buyers’ tours
- Organize and support trade fair participation (physical, virtual)
- Organize B2B for supported exporters
- Help improve access to finance
ITC makes significant contributions to shaping the global coffee industry through its popular Coffee Guide, the world's most extensive, hands-on and neutral source of information on the international coffee trade, reaching thousands involved across the sector. Our latest (fourth) edition is available here. It is directly informed by the coffee industry and has updated technical information on finance, food safety measures, logistics and contracts. It has redefined quality and data segmentation and expanded digitalization coverage as well as information related to certifications and supply chain legislation. It gives prime importance to issues like climate change, coffee price volatility, living wage and the inequitable distribution of power, profit and resources across the supply chain.
